Electric-circuit closer for looms.



No. 6`9|,979. l Y Patented 1an. 28, 1902.

` H. w. SMITH.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CLOSER FOB LUOMS.

(Application filed Nov. 8, 1808.) (Noy Model.)

shuttle in the shnttle-box- I UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE.

HARRY W. SMITH, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUl'l' CLOS-ER FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,979", dated January 28d, 1902*.

Application filed November 8. 1898. Serial No. 695,880. (No model.)

T0 al?, whom zr may concern:

Beit known that I, HARRY W. SMITH, a citizen oft-he United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of 'Worcester and Com monwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Circuit Closers for Looms, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, in which- Figure l represents a portion of a loomlathe, showing one of the shuttle-boxes in side elevation, with the binder and front of the shuttle-box removed in order to disclose he Fig. 2 vis a op view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional View of the bobbin removed from the shuttle. Fig. 4. is a transverse sectional View of the shuttle and bobbin on line et 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a vertical longitudinal sectional View oi a portion of a shuttle. Fig. 6 is a top view ot' a shuttle, showing a modified form of attaching the contact-strips thereto. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional View of a portion of the shuttle shown in Fig. G, the sectionbeing taken on line 7 7, Fig. G.

Similar reference-figures refer to similar part-s in the dierent views.

Myinvention relates to looms provided with auxiliary mechanism for performing operations auxiliary `to that of weaving-such, for example, as stopping the loom or supplying fresh filling thereto; and it has for its object to provide means for causing the action of Stich auxiliary mechanism at a predetermined period in the operation of the loom and priorx to complete exhaustion of the lilling.

` Generally stated, the invention consists of a detecting means carried by the bobbin or weft-carrier,` the weft or filling being laid upon the bol bin or carrier to one side of the detecting meins in distinctive initial winds .and thereafter wound to cover said detecting means and permit the weft or filling to be delivered from theend of the carrier or bobbin and to uncoverthc detecting means prior to complete exhaustion of the iilling, and devices adapted to engage said detecting means Aand cause the operation of the auxiliary mechanism when said detecting means has become uncoveredby the weft or filling.

The invention consists, further, of the construction and combination of parts, that will be hereinafter more fully described, and detinitely pointed out in the claims.

In the present embodiment'ot` my invention I have shown the detecting means as a band on the bobbin or weft-carrier located at the base or head of the bobbin or carrier and the feeler devices as spring-fingers carried by the shuttle to engage the detecting means and complete an electric circuit; but it will be understood that these features of structure may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which represent one embodiment of my invention, 1 denotes one end of the lathe of a loom, upon which is mounted a shuttle-box' 2, containing a shuttle 3 in position at one end of its movement through the fabric.

The shuttle-body 3 is provided with a weftcarrier, which in the present instance consists ofa bobbin 5. (Shown on a larger scalein Fig.

3, where the brokenl lines 6 6. indicate the outline of the weft when the bobbin is filled.) The weft-carrier is supported in any snitable manner in the bobbiii-chamber 7'a of the shuttle.

The bobbin in the form represented in the drawings comprises a cylindrical body or section 7, a conical base 8, and a head 9, and the weft is wound thereon by beginningat the top of the conical section 8 orat itsjunction with the body-section 7 and traversing the weftthread back and forth over the conical section S by the traversing mechanism of the winding or spinning machine, thereby forming a conical body of yarn next the head 9, as shown by the broken line 10, Fig. 3. The traversing mechanism then builds upon the inclined surface of the yarn already wound, lling the bobbin toward its tip, as shown by the broken lines 6 6, Fig. 3. In the operation of weaving the weftiswithdrawn from the end of the bobbin and unwonnd in reverse order, that portion which is laid in conical form on the base 8 of the bobbin by what I term the,V

initial traversing movement beinug last withdrawn.

Attention is directed to the method of'windf ing bohbins of the class represented in' the drawings, as the arrangement of my circuitclosing mechanism has reference to theorder rojo bobbin lled with weft or filling, as above de-A v loom are made to form the terminals of an of laying the weft upon the bobbin, as hereinafter described, although any other method lplace a detecting means, preferably in the form of a metallic annular band 11, having its surface preferably raised above the adjacent surface of the bobbin, upon which yarn is wound, thereby forming a step'12, and contiguous to the step 12 I preferably form a groove or depression 13 inthe surface of the bobbin, so that as the weft is laid upon' the conical' section 8 by the initial traversing movement'extending from the apex of the conical section to the head 9 the winding will be limited by the step 12 until the conical body of the weft is 'brought flush, or nearly-so, with the surface ofthe metallic band 11, forming a distinctive initial wind, as indicated by the vbroken lines 14 14, Fig. 3, when the winding is extended by the traversing movem-ent'over the band 11 to the head 9 forming the cone 10 10, which is built upon to form the body of yarn, as indicated by the broken lines 6 6, Eig. 3. Y

Upon the top of the shuttle-bod y 3 are contact-strips 15 15, either ush or slightly raised in some portion above the surface of the shuttie-body, so they will be wiped by the Warp- `threads as the shuttle passes through the shed.

As represented in the drawings, the contactstrips 15 are conveniently given a quartertwis-t at 16 to bring their ends 18, which extend into the bobbin-chamber?, in to a vertical plane, so they will lie against the opposing.

side Walls 17 17 of the bobbin-chamber. Yielding blades 19 19, .electrically connected with thecontact-strips 15, extend downwardly between the bobbin and the side walls 17 17 of the bobbin-chamber, preferably on opposite sides of the bobbin and inthe plane of the band 11, which when brought into contact with the yielding blades 19 19, carried by the shuttle-body, acts to close the circuit. A

scribed, and provided with an electrical conducting-surface in one end is herein termed a circuit-closer bobbin. The blades 19 19, as shown, consist of elastic springs electrically connected atAtheir upper ends to the ends 18 of the contact-strips l5 either by beingdirectly attached to said strips, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, or integrally therewith, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and having their lower endshoused by entering holes 20 2O in thej body of the shuttle in order to prevent their entanglement with weft as it is withdrawn from the shuttle. The 'blades 19 19 at predetermined periods in the operation of lthe electric circuit, as hereinafter described', and

L they are made to project into the path ofthe bobbin as it is inserted in the bobbin-chamfbe'r, so that the insertion of a bobbin will,

serve to crowd the yielding blades 19 19 out of its path and cause the blades to press against the weft on the bobbin in the plane of the annular band 11, so that as the weft is removed and the band 11 laid bare the yielding blades are brought into contact with the band, thereby electrically connecting the contacting strips 15 15. Insulated contactbrushes 21 21 are supportediin a convenient position on the lathe and by means of the bindinf-screws 22 and thel electric Wires 23 and 24 are made a part ofan electric circuit. The brushes 21 21 overhang the shuttlebox and extend into the paths of the contactstrips 15 15, so that as the shuttle enters the shuttle-box the contact-strips are brought into rubbing contact with the brushes 21 21.

The brushes preferably consistof a pair pf yielding metallic blades, which exert a downward pressure upon the shuttle as the contact-strips 15 15 come into contact with the brushes, thereby pressing the shuttle against the race-plate or top of the lathe. By employing an independent pair of brushes 21 21 instead of forming contact-surfaces on the shuttle-binder, as has heretofore been done, I am able to determine the point of contact during the flight of the shuttle across the lathe independently of the action of the shuttlc-binder. As the pressure of the brushes against the shuttle is received by the race- Iplate or top of the lathe, the'igbrushes may be located in any convenieutqp'osition above the race-plate. So long as the yielding blades 19 k19 are held out'of contact with the band 11 by the weft the electric circuit remains open; but when the weft has been withdrawn sufficiently to expose the surface, of the band the blades come into contact with theband and the electric circuitbecomes closed and an electric current is established, whichl by energizing an electromagnet forming a part -of the circuit is made to control any known auxiliary mechanism.

The closing of the `electric circuit takes place as soon as the shuttle enters vbeneath the brushes 21 21 after the unwinding of the weft from the band 11 and while that portion of the weft denominated the distinctive initialwind remains which was Wound upon the'bobbin during the period while the initial traversing movement was limited by means of the step 12, including theaccumulation of weft, in the groove or depression 13.

It will thus be seen that with the bobbin formed as above described and with the yielding blades 19 19 contacting with the weft only at the last portion of the weft to be removed from the bobbin there will be no friction upon the part of thejweft which is being withdrawn from the bobbin during the process of Weaving by its contact with the yielding blades until the weft is nearly all withdrawn. Consequently there is no such liability of breaking the weft as would be the case provided the yielding blades were so arranged vIII the yielding blades 19 19 to both. contact on band 1l in the same plane I am enabled to detect the absence of the weft with great precision and also to use a narrow band for the conducting-surface, consisting of a ring sur- Io rounding the bobbimwhich will contact with both of the blades however the bobbin may be turned on its axis in placing it in the shuttle-body.

As above described, it will be seen that my circuit-closing device comprises notonly a circuit-closer bobbin, but also what I term a bobbin-adjusted blade-that is, a yielding blade forming one of. the terminals of the electric circuit which is carried by the shutzo tlc-body and normallyheld in the path of the bobbin as the bobbin is inserted in the bobbin-chamber in the usual manner in theoperation of weaving, so that the mere act of inserting a bobbin carrying the weft will a5 move the yielding blade and cause it to press upon the weft :in the plane of the contacting surface of the circuit-closer bobbin, thereby bringing the elements for completing the circuit which are carried by the shuttle into gesuch operative relationship that the with# drawal of the weft from the band 1l Will allow thepressure exertedby the yielding blade to bring itinto contact with the band and electrically connect the contacting-strips 15 1.5. In other Words, the insertion of a full bob- 'bin in the bobbin-chamber of the shuttle serves to `set the yielding blade. In the circuit-closer bobbin represented in Fig. 3 I have raised the band 11 above the adjacent 4o weft supporting `the surface and formed a shoulder 12 next the band by placing a thin metallic band around the bobbin in the plane at right angles to its axis and upon a portion of the bobbin which is slightly raised, and I have increased the height of the step by forming a groove 13 next the band. I do not, however, confine myself to this specific form of construction, as the groove 13 maybe omitted and the elevation of the' band be accom- 5o plished by using a thicker band.

What I seek to accomplish is to so raise the contacting surface of a circumferential band during the initial traversing movement of the weft in winding theI bobbin that the Winding Will stop short of the surface of the band4 until the desired quantity of weft has been wound on'the bobbin, filling the space next the band, when the next traversing movement in Winding the bobbin will cause the 6o weft to be laid over the contacting surface of the band. By placing a contacting surface on the bobbin at the end of its weft or filling supporting surface opposite the delivery end of the bobbin and in the form of a narrow raised band lying in a plane at right angles to the axis of the bobbin, forming a shoulder which causes the weft to fall back during the tion of the circuit and also to more sharply define the period of closing the circuit. To this end I also place the narrow metallic band near the end of the weft-supporting surface,

withthe opposite edges of thebangl-lying in `V parallel planes and at right angles to the axis cf the bobbin, so that the edges of the band will present -the same angle to the line of movement of the weft as it is traversed in opposite directions over the weft-supporting surface of the bobbin and causing the weft to crossV the band in both directions at a uniform angle thereto.

Instead of contact-strips 15 15 on the end of the shuttle-body long strips 25 can be employed, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby securing a longer rubbing contact with the brushes 21, which can be duplicated at the opposite end of the lathe.

I do not confine myself to the'specific con.-

lstruction of my circuit-closing device as shown and described, as these may obviously be` modied or changed .Without departing from the scope of my invention.

I do not herein separately claim the bobbin or filling-carrier having detecting mea-ns, as this forms the subject-matter of a divisional application filed by me, Serial No. 73,031, August 23, 1901.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The lcombination Awith a loom shuttle body and a weft-bobbin carried therein, of a pair of yielding blades supported by the shuttie-body and arranged to bear against the bob- IOC bin on opposite sides thereof, whereby said blades are separated, by the Wett as the bobbin isinserted in the shuttle,said blades forming the terminals of an electric circuit, and a common contact-piece carried by the bobbin and arranged to be uncovered by the withdrawal of the weft from the bobbin, substantially as described. v

2. The combination with a loom-shuttle body and a bobbin carried therein, of a pair of yielding blades arranged to press against the bobbin on opposite sides thereof,whereby said blades are 'separated by the-weft as the bobbin is inserted in the shuttle, said blades forming the lterminals of an electric circuit, and a metallic band extending circumferentially around said bobbin near one end of the surface covered bythe weft and arranged to electrically` connect said blades as the weft is withdrawn from said band, substantially as described.

3. Thecombination with aloom shuttlebody and a bobbin carried therein, of a pair of yielding blades arranged to press against the bobbin and on opposite sides, whereby said blades are separated by the weft as the bobbin is inserted in the shuttle, contactstrips on said shuttle-body electrically connected with said blades,contact-brushes forming the-terminals of v4an velectric circuit and 'overhanging into the path of said contactstripsas the shuttle moves linto 'the shuttleboX, -means l for electrically connecting said bladesasgthe weft is'withdr'awn from the bobbin, substantially as described.

4. vvkIn" an `electriccir 3uitvcloser for looms, the combination with aloom shuttle-body, of a pair of metallic contact-strips placed on the top side of the shuttle-body, and a pair of yielding blades, or metallicstrips, forming contact-brushes supported by thev lathe'with their free endsoverhanging the path ofthe shuttle and-arranged to ypress against said contact-strips and exert, a downward pressureon the shuttle against the race-plate, or

`top of the lathe, a-nd means -for connecting said contact-brushes with the poles of a-battery, or other source of i.an electric current, whereby the contact-strips of the'shuttle are electrically connected with said contactbrushes by the Hight of the shuttle across the lathe, substantially-as described.

5. The combination with v'a loom shuttlebody and a bobbin carried therein, of a pair of contact-strips arranged on the top of the I c shuttle-body andl projecting above the sur- `a bobbin-chamber and a bobbin held therein,

face ofthe shuttle-body to be rubbed by the warp in the operation of weaving, contactbrushes forming :the terminals 'of an electric circuit and extending into the path of said contact-strips and means. controlled by the weft on the bobbin for: electrically connectingsaid strips, substantially as described.

6. In an electric-'circuit closer for looms, the combination with a shuttle-body having of a narrow metallic' band surrounding the bobbin near the; end of its weft-supporting surface andlyingjin a plane at right angles to the axis ofthe bobbin, said bobbin'having a distinctive initial Wind of weft orviilling to one sidentY said metallic band and the weft or filling being thereafter wound upon' the carrier to cover said .band and to'permit the weft or filling to bedelivered from the end of the bobbin and to uncover the said. baud prior to complete exhaustion of thejweft or filling, a yielding blade between the bobbin 'and the vertical side wall of the-bobbinchamber and means forholdingsaid blade normally in contact with the weft on said bobbin, substantially as described.

7. In an 'electric-circuitcloser for looms, the combination with a lathe, a shuttle-box',

a shuttle-body, having ab'obbin-chamber and bobbinV in the plane of 'said yieldingblades, substantially as described.

8. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination with a lathe, a shuttle-box, a shuttle-body havinga bobbin-chamber and a bobbin contained therein, of electrical contact-strips carried by the shuttle-body, con.- tact-brushes carried by the lathe and extendinginto the'path of said'shuttle-strips, curved yielding blades attached at one end to said shuttle-stri ps and extending into the bobbinchamber with their free ends entering holes in the body of the shuttle, and an electrical conducting`surfacel on said bebbin in theV plane of said yielding blades, substantially as described. l

9. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, a shuttle-body having. two contact-plates arranged to be brought into contact with the Warp as the shuttle passes through the shed,

means for bringing said plates into an elec- I tric circuit as the shuttle enters the shuttlebox, movable members electrically connected with said contact-plates and arranged to press v against the weft, and means for electrically connecting said movable member-sas the weft is removed, substantially as described.

10. The combination with ai loom shuttle- `body and a bobbin carried therein, of a pair of contact-strips on the outer surface of the shuttle-body, a pair of contact-brushes forming the terminals of an electric circuit, yielding blades electrically connected with said contact-strips and arranged to press against the weft on'opposite sides-of the bobbin,'herebysaid blades arel separated by the weft as thebobbn is inserted, anda metallic band on said bobbin in the 'plane lof the 'contact of said blades and arranged to be covered' by the weft andunc'overedas the weft is Withdrawn in the operation of weaving, substantially as described.

11. The combination with aA loom shuttle- -body and a bobbin carried therein, of a pair of contact-strips carried by the shuttle-body,

'a yielding contact-blade electrically connected with one of said contact-strips and nor- `mally held in the path of the bobbin, and

adapted to be crowded to one side by the bob- 'bin as it is inserted in the shuttle-body, and

a circumferential band near one -end of the weft-supporting surface of the bobbin, said bobbin having a distinctive initial wind of weft or iilling to oneA side of said band, the weft or illing being thereafter Wound upon the bobbin tocover said band and permit the weft or filling to be delivered from the end of the bobbin and to uncover the band prior to complete exhaustion and'means for electrically connecting said band with the other of said contact-strips,substantially as described.

12. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination of a shuttle-body having a bobbin-chamber, a pair of fixed brushes forming the terminals of an electric circuit, a pair of contacting strips carried by the shuttle and arranged to be periodically brought into con- IOC -IIC

tact with said brushes, yielding blades electrically connect-edle said strips and normally held in the path of the bobbin as itis insertedv in said bobbin chamber, and a circuitcloser carried near the end of` the weft-supporting su rface and opposite the delivery end of the bobbin and in the plane of said yielding blades, whereby it is brought into contact with said blades as the weft is removed, substantially as described.

13. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination of a sh Little-body, a weft-carrier or bobbin provided with detecting' means.

and having a distinctive initial wind of filling thereon to one side of the detecting means, the filling being thereafter wound upon the carrier or bobbin to cover said detecting means and permit the filling to be delivered from the end of the carrier or bobbin and uncover the detecting means prior to complete exhaustion of the filling, and a feeler arranged to engage the detecting means when the weft has been removed to uncover the same.

14. In a circuit-closer for looms for controlling the operation of auxiliary mechanism, a shuttle-body, a weft or filling carrier adapted to be supported therein and provided'with detecting means, said weft or filling carrier having a distinctive initial wind of we ft or filling thereon to one side of the detecting means, the weft or filling being thereafter Wound upon the carrier to cover said detecting means and permit the weft or filling to feeler device carried by theshuttle and adapted to engage the detecting meanswhen the weft or filling hasl been unwound to uncover the detecting means 15. In `acircuit-closer for looms for controlling auxiliary mechanism, a shuttle-body, a filling-carrier or bobbin adapted to `be supported therein, and provided with a contact or detecting member constituting a circuitclosing device normally covered by the filling during the weaving operation, feeler devices 17. In an electric-circuit closer for looms,

the combination of a shuttle-body provided with contact-strips and Wett-carrier or 'bobbin supporting means, a weft-carrier or bobbin having a metallic contact part on a portion only of its weft-supporting surface, and yielding feelers arranged in the shuttle-body and maintained in separated relation by the weft and adapted to move toward each other as the weft approaches exhaustion to thereby contact with the metallic Contact part on the wett-carrier or bobbin.

18. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination of a shuttle-body provided with a weft carrier or bobbin supporting means, a weft-carrier or bobbin provided with detecting means and having a distinctive initial Wind ot'rweft or filling thereon to one side of the said detecting means,the weft or filling being thereafter wound upon the carrier or bobbin to coversaid detecting means and permit the weft or filling to be delivered from the end of the carrier or bobbin and t0 uncover the detecting means prior to complete exhaustion of the filling, and yielding fingers arranged at each side of the carrier or bobbin to engage the detecting means when it has become uncovered by the withdrawal of weft or filling.

' 19. In anielectric-circuitcloser forlooms,the combination of a sh uttle-body with means for supporting a weft-carrier or bobbin therein, a weft-carrier or bobbin provided with a metallic band and having a distinctive initial wind of weft or filling to one side of' said band, the weft or filling being thereafter Wound upon the carrier to cover said metallic band and permit the wett or filling to be delivered from the end of the carrier or bobbin and uncover i the metallic band prior to complete exhaustion ofthe weft or filling, and yielding feelers carried by the shuttle to contact with said4 metallic band when the same has become uncovered.

20. In an electric-circuit closer for looms for controlling lthe operation ot1 auxiliary mechanism, the combination of a shuttlebody, a weft or filling carrier adapted to be supported thereby and provided with a detecting means, said weft-carrier or bobbin having a distinctive initial Wind of weft or filling to one si'de of said detecting means, the Weft or filling being thereafter Wound upon the 'weft-carrieror bobbin to cover said detecting means and permit the weft or'lling to be delivered from theI end of the carrier or bobbin and uncover the detecting means prior to complete exhaustion of the filling, and devices coperating with said detecting means when the same has become uncovered by the withdrawal of the weft or filling, to-cause the operation of the auxiliary mechanism.

HARRY W. SMITH. Witnesses:

RUFUs B. FOWLER, ELIZABETH GRAY.

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